Chapter 18, Verse 47 (Bhagavad Gita 18.47)
Chapter 18: Mokṣha Sanyās Yog – Yoga through the Perfection of Renunciation and Surrender
Sanskrit Shloka
श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुणः परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात्।स्वभावनियतं कर्म कुर्वन्नाप्नोति किल्बिषम्
Transliteration
śhreyān swa-dharmo viguṇaḥ para-dharmāt sv-anuṣhṭhitāt svabhāva-niyataṁ karma kurvan nāpnoti kilbiṣham
Word Meanings
śhreyān—better; swa-dharmaḥ—one’s own prescribed occupational duty; viguṇaḥ—imperfectly done; para-dharmāt—than another’s dharma; su-anuṣhṭhitāt—perfectly done; svabhāva-niyatam—according to one’s innate nature; karma—duty; kurvan—by performing; na āpnoti—does not incur; kilbiṣham—sin
Translation
Better is one's own duty (Svadharma), though imperfectly performed, than the duty of another well performed. By performing the duty ordained by one's own nature, a person incurs no sin.
Meaning & Commentary
In this profound instruction, Lord Krishna reveals that the path to spiritual perfection lies in aligning one's actions with their innate divine temperament. Shri Krishna teaches that when a devotee performs their prescribed duty as an offering unto Him, they transcend the karmic bindings of the material world. Attempting to adopt another's path out of desire or imitation creates conflict within the soul, whereas embracing one's own nature with surrender leads to purity of heart. By following this guidance of Bhagwan Shri Krishna, the seeker achieves a state of detachment and inner harmony, eventually attaining liberation from the cycle of birth and death. Ultimately, duty is not merely a social obligation but a sacred service performed in the presence of the Supreme Lord.